Destiny
by Stellar Lady
Summary: AU.After seeing strange creatures while answering a distress call, Micheal Garibaldi learns that everyone has a destiny and that no one escapes it.
1. Chapter 1

Michael Garibaldi was woken by the sound of the com. He had been having the most wonderful dream. He tried to ignore the beeping ,but it didn't work. Growling vituperatively , he climbed out of bed and answered it. The face of Commander Jeff Sinclair appeared on the screen.

"Sorry to wake you, Mike ,but we have a problem," the commander said.

"Can't it wait, Jeff. It's 2 AM. I'm exhausted and running on fumes," Garibaldi said.

"Sorry , Mike, but there was an urgent distress call. I don't have a choice but to send you. I have a report to finish by noon and if I don't there won't be a Babylon 5 for you to come back to. Sinclair out."

Garibaldi was in a foul mood as he climbed into his fighter. Being woken up at two in the morning to answer a distress call, urgent or otherwise, after three weeks of double shifts had definitely not improved his mood. He strapped himself into his fighter ,yawning. He needed rest but duty called and he had to answer. Not going could result in the death of an innocent person , and the Chief of Security didn't want to risk innocent lives. He couldn't do that; it wasn't in his nature. Garibaldi set out with five of his security officers. He had a strong feeling that something was very wrong. He just wasn't sure what.

"Alright , let's prepare for the jump," he ordered and the others acknowledged.

The jump gate was activated and the five ships entered it. Sinclair paused a moment from typing his report to watch. He was worried about Garibaldi. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up.

"Is something wrong ,Jeff?" Catherine asked.

"Just worried is all. Mike's the best man for his job and he takes it seriously but he gets hurt sometimes," the man said.

Catherine knew by the look on her fiancée's face what he was talking about. Several months prior Garibaldi had been injured after he uncovered the plot to assassinate the president. She also knew that the two men were like brothers and trusted each other completely.

"He'll be alright," she said.

"I hope so. I hope so," Sinclair responded ,watching the jump gate close.

After John Sheridan had worn out Earthforce command ,Sinclair had been brought back to Babylon 5 to run the station conjointly with Sheridan. A bizarre turn of events had allowed him to fulfill destiny and go home to his friends and the love of his life on Babylon 5.There was nothing Catherine could say that could stop him from worrying.

Garibaldi tried to stifle a yawn but he failed miserably.

"_Not falling asleep on us are ya ,Chief?_" asked on of the officers .

"No. The day I fall asleep on the job is the day hell freezes over," he answered

Right now , Garibaldi would have given almost anything to be back on Babylon 5 ,sleeping. He tracked down the ship .

" Damaged vessel ,this is Michael Garibaldi of Babylon 5 . We received your distress call. How can we assist you?" he asked.

_"That was quick. I could use a hand getting to your station,"_ said a woman's voice.

"Acknowledged. I'll send one of the fighters with you to make sure you reach Babylon 5 safely. The rest of us will try and find what may have attacked you," Garibaldi said.

The woman acknowledged and as one of the fighter began to attach the towing lines to the woman's ship, Garibaldi thought he saw what looked like shapes on either side of the damaged ship. He attributed it to his lack of decent sleep. As the two ships past by , the figures grew clear a bit and seemed to take on a more definite shape. The security chief once again attributed it to lack of sleep. He could almost seem them completely , whatever they were. They appeared to be slug-like creatures. Suddenly , he became aware of the fact that someone was speaking to him.

_"Chief? Chief are you alright?"_

"Yeah , I zone out for a moment."

_"Are you sure you want to stay out here? You haven't got much sleep."_

"I'm sure. I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Once the jump gate was activated , Garibaldi took the other four with him ,to continue on with the investigation. They didn't get very far when a jump opened in front of them. The ship that came out was sleek , silver and insect-like.

" Unknown vessel , this Michael Garibaldi of Babylon 5 . Please acknowledge," the officer said.

There was no response. Garibaldi tried twice more and still no response. Without warning , the ship opened a panel on the outer hull of the ship and fired a beam of light. For an instant there was a bright light and unimaginable pain. After that instant , everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Garibaldi gasped as the hood was pulled off his head. He was confused and he was in a great deal of pain. Covered in his own blood , the human was shaking. The bad feeling he had earlier had just gotten much worse. He wasn't sure what had happened to the others.

"Who are you?" asked a voice.

Garibaldi couldn't see who was talking to him. There was a bright light shining in eyes and his vision was blurring. Annoyed by lack of response the voice angrily asked its' question again.

"Who are you?" the voice asked for a second time.

" Michael Garibaldi of the space station Babylon 5," he responded.

"Mr. Garibaldi, do you know why you are here?" the voice asked.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Do you remember what happened before we brought you here?"

"Vaguely."

"What do you remember?"

"Leaving the station with my unit, entering the jump gate, a bright light and then pain."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

There was silence for a moment. It was as though his questioner was unsure of what to ask next, after not receiving the answers he wanted. A door opened behind him and he heard footsteps.

"Well, Mr. Garibaldi, I believe that you are lying, at least in part. We do have ways to get the information we need out of you. Take him away," said the voice callously.

The hood was placed over his head once more and he was taken out of the room. He was stripped, and hosed down with scalding water. His wounds throbbed as he flinched away from the water. He still couldn't see anything or anyone. He was dressed and lead down a hallway ,his head still covered with the hood and his hands cuffed in front of him. The guards stopped and he heard one of them unlock a door. The cuffs were removed and so was the hood. Garibaldi was pushed forward into a cold cell . The door was locked behind him. As he listened to the guards leave ,the human struggled to his feet , walked to the bed and curled up on it.

The now President John Sheridan, Commander Jeff Sinclair and Lt. Commander Susan Inovanva listened in shock to the report the fighter pilot gave them. After a massive tremor had rocked the station, Sheridan had ordered a small group of fighters to check on Garibaldi and his men. The report that the squad leader gave them was not good. Of the five fighters that had remained behind to investigate ,four had been badly damaged with their pilots dead and Garibaldi and his fighter missing. There was no sign of the man after five hours of searching.

The expression of horror on Sinclair's face was enough to let the others now that he was afraid for his friend. With everything that had been going on, as the civil war had just ended and they knew that ,as president of the new Interstellar Alliance, Sheridan would be leaving soon, Garibaldi was all the more important to helping Babylon 5. There was also the fact that Garibaldi was well respected and loved by his friends and comrades there, as well as by many others. Sinclair sank down into the nearest chair.

Sheridan began giving orders to start a search party. Garibaldi was his friend too, and the best Chief of Security one could find .

"Don't worry ,Jeff. We'll find him," Sheridan reassured his comrade.

"I'm going out there. Mike's my best friend and he needs me."

"I figured you'd say that."

The news of Garibaldi's disappearance had spread quickly around Babylon 5. When Lennier told them , Delann choked on her drink while Talia and Catherine gaped at him. Talia's face drained of its' color. Catherine griped her hand. Catherine, Delann and Lennier were among the few who knew about Talia and Garibaldi's unique relationship. The two danced around their attraction to each other , neither denying it entirely nor accepting it completely. It had made for an unusual friendship. While Talia tried to control her tears, Vir informed G'Kar and Londo about what had happened. The two ambassadors had been arguing once again , but Vir's information stopped them cold.

"Missing? What do you mean missing?" Londo asked.

"I mean the 1st search party only found four ships and they couldn't find Mr. Garibaldi's ship. It's like he vanished," the Centauri explained.

"Are they organizing anymore search parties?" G'Kar asked.

Although neither of them got along with Garibaldi , both ambassadors respected the human for his talents. As the younger Centauri nodded, G'Kar and Londo went to speak to Sheridan. They needed to know if they could help.

As his face was plunged into the scalding water ,Garibaldi wondered how he'd gotten into this and why. Once the guard pulled his head out of the water , the human gasped for air.

"I shall ask you again , Mr. Garibaldi. What do you know of the pilot you rescued?" asked the voice.

"I told you already. I can't remember what happened after-"

Before Garibaldi could finish , his face was plunged into a second bowl of water, ice cold. He had been asked the same questions over and over again. They pulled his head out of the water again. He still could not see his tormentors. The man who questioned him didn't sound like someone from any race familiar to him. The dunking continued for several hours before Garibaldi was returned to his cell. He was freezing , having been soaked through .

He shivered as he peeled of his soaked clothes and he began to wring them out over the cell's sink. He didn't know what they'd done with his uniform and what he had wasn't much. Two blue shirts , two pairs of blue pants and four pairs of underwear. Garibaldi changed into dry clothes after he placed his wet things in a spot where they would dry. He laid down on his bed , in an effort to get some rest . They'd probably torture him more. His stomach growled angrily. Garibaldi groaned in anguish. He felt absolutely wretched. He curled up into a ball to warm himself up.

A clanging startled him to full wakefulness. A small panel had been opened at the bottom of the cell door. A small tray of food was pushed through the opening and the panel slid closed. Garibaldi devoured the food. He sat on the floor next to his bed and let his head lay on the thin mattress. He was worn beyond comprehension. He let his mind drift to his friends on Babylon 5. He knew that Sinclair wouldn't rest until Garibaldi had been found. The human doubted his friends would find him. He didn't even know where he was. He slept for an hour or so , until the torturers came back for him.

This time it was a different torture. Every time he failed to answer a question or if he didn't answer like they wanted him to , the human received an electric shock. Garibaldi tried to insist that he blacked out after the flash of light and that he couldn't remember anything between the time he entered the jump gate and the flash. They insisted he was lying to protect the pilot they were looking for. The shocks got stronger as the hours passed.

"I told you. I don't know anything," the human moaned, trying to make them understand.

"You're not telling us the truth , Mr. Garibaldi," said his primary tormenter.

" I _am_ telling the truth . Please , believe me."

A door opened somewhere in the darkness. Footsteps approached hurriedly.

" General Tolar, his Majesty wishes to speak to you," said a new voice.

"Very well. Take over here. Ask different questions. The usual ones aren't getting answered properly," said Tolar.

"What questions would you like me to ask ,sir?"

"How about questions about……Babylon 5 and those who are there," Tolar answered.

General Tolar. Garibaldi now knew the name of his primary tormentor. He would never forget that name.

"So, tell me about the Babylon 5 space station," the new voice said.

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Review please!!!! I beg you.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay this :

and _[""_ are for the news report in this chapter. Oh and one more thing : REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!

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_[ A ISN reporter walks down a hallway in Babylon 5 ,towards a camera and begins speaking._

_"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I'm Linda Andrers of ISN at Babylon 5. Babylon 5 has been a pillar of hope and strength since the civil war began. Now , with the war over, Babylon 5 remains that same pillar of hope and strength .Her crew is one of the bravest, and most diverse as well as being one of the best. However , a heartbreaking blow has befallen this station and her crew. Six months ago a distress call came in. A group of six fighters went to respond. One fighter returned , a damaged ship in tow. The others side behind to investigate what happened. Not long after the fighter returned a shock wave hit the station. Although no one here was injured, Commander Sinclair, Babylon 5's CO, was worried about the five fighters that had stayed behind. When the second group passed through the jump gate to where the fighters were , they encountered a horrifying sight," she said," Four of the fighters had been destroyed , their pilots dead and the fifth one missing. The deaths of the four officers are mourned by their friends and family ,here and on Earth. It seems ,however, that the loss that reverberates the most and is mourned most is the loss of Babylon 5's beloved head of security." _

Sinclair set the reports down on his desk and rubbed his hands together. Six months had passed since his best friend had vanished. The memorial service for Garibaldi and the four officers who'd died was being held later that day. Though he knew he would have to get up and speak , Sinclair wasn't sure he was up to it. He placed the reports in his desk drawer and returned to his quarters. He began changing into his dress uniform when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Catherine asked.

"I…I-" he started, but he couldn't finish.

He sat on the bed and for the first time in six months Jeffery Sinclair cried for the dear friend he'd lost as his fiancée placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.

Garibaldi sat quietly on his bed ,waiting. He'd developed something of a routine here. From 8 PM to 6 AM , he slept. Then at 6:30 , Tolar's men came for him, then from 6:45 to 11:45 ,he was tortured and asked the same questions ,either about Babylon 5 or about the period in which he blacked out. He was returned to his cell . At noon he was given lunch through the sliding plate in the cell door. At 12:30 , he was taken from his cell and tortured again. At 7 PM , he was brought to the prison mess hall and ate dinner. At 7: 45, he was once more to his cell where he collapsed onto his bed exhausted and was asleep by 8 PM.

He was somewhat surprised when he was brought to the mess hall for the first time. Though he'd guessed he was in a prison, what surprised him were the amount of aliens that were there ,aliens that he'd never seen. Apparently, from the whispers he heard, Garibaldi was a high risk prisoner , and the rest were ordered to keep clear. Not that the human cared. He didn't want to know anybody here. He just focused on how he would get out of there. His suspicious nature allowed him to keep on his toes. He watched the guards, he watched the other prisoners. All the human wanted to do was get out of there and home. He noticed that they were all the same race: humanoid aliens with horns in the center of their foreheads.

Garibaldi laid back ,yawning. It was almost 6:30 so the guards were probably on their way. The door clanged open and he stood. They cuffed him and led him out. Garibaldi was unsure of how much time had passed between his capture and this point. They no longer covered his head ,or kept him out of sight of other prisoners. He was seated in a chair in the interrogation room. Pacing in front of his chair , was General Tolar. Tall ,lean and pale-skinned , Tolar was taller then most of the others of his race. The horn on his head was black with blood red streaks, as was his hair. He fiddled with a ring on his left hand as he paced.

"Mr. Garibaldi, for the past few days ,instead of your usual insistence that you remember almost nothing before we captured you and your stern refusal to tell us about your station , you have , instead, chosen to remain silent. Why?" Tolar asked.

"What would the point be of doing that anymore? You bastards won't listen to me," Garibaldi snarled.

His answer earned him a backhand. Tolar's ring cut deep into his skin, deep enough ,perhaps to leave a scar. Garibaldi sat stone-faced and unflinching. He didn't really feel the pain of the wounds anymore , he'd just gotten used to it.

That night ,however, Garibaldi found himself unable to sleep. He sighed and rolled over onto his side so he face the wall. He closed his eyes once more in an attempt to sleep. Suddenly, he felt a hand cover his mouth . He rolled over , instinctively prepared to defend himself. Instead , he found himself looking into a young alien face.

"Do you want out , my friend?" The young man asked.

Garibaldi nodded slowly. The young man removed his hand and motioned for silence. The human followed his new friend. The young alien lead him through a air duct into another cell. There were about thirty or so other prisoners there. The two joined the others ,who were looking at maps. They were all young ,most were probably no older then sixteen or seventeen. Once Garibaldi and his companion joined them ,they started telling him their names.

"Don't tell me your names. I'll learn them later, after we get out of here," he said , interrupting them quickly.

Garibaldi's commanding presence seemed to make some of the others a little nervous. They went over the plan ,bringing the human up to speed. He noticed a map of the launch area. He also noticed that a transport ship had been circled ,as had several fighters on the launch pad.

"How many of you kids can fly these fighters?" he asked.

Fifteen people raised their hands. It was a pretty good number.

"Okay . I need you kids to get to theses fighters. My own fighter's in here somewhere. Now can anybody fly that transport?" he asked.

His young friend raised his hand.

"Alright. You're going to fly that transport. Those of you who can't fly a fighter ,I want you to get on that transport. Those of us in the fighters will cover you," Garibaldi explained.

"But sir, where will we go?" asked one of the kids.

"We'll head for Babylon 5. It's a safe haven for anyone who needs it."

The kids nodded .They liked the plan. Now it was time to set the plan into motion. One kid unlocked the cell door, opened it , and checked to see if the coast was clear. They followed the plan , and raided a supply closet. Garibaldi found his uniform. He pulled his young friend over to one side. Before Garibaldi could say anything , they heard guards passing. As the guards passed, the group heard something shocking. Tolar was planning to attack Babylon 5 and explain it to his government as a preemptive strike against those encroaching on their space.

"Kid , listen. If I get caught don't come back for me. Give this uniform to Commander Sinclair. He'll understand. Babylon 5 has to be warned at all costs. I'm counting on you to warn them if something happens to me. Promise me you'll do it," Garibaldi said quietly to the young alien.

"But sir-" the kid started.

"Promise me," Garibaldi said.

" I promise."

The group slipped passed the guards and sensors. The guards they couldn't slip past were knocked out. The escapees made it to the launch platform without a hitch. As they climbed over the fence, a guard spotted them and sounded the alarm. Garibaldi shouted for the kids to run and get to the ships. The human spotted his fighter and ran as fast as he could. He felt himself get tackled from behind.

"Take off!" he shouted to the kids.

As Garibaldi struggled against the guards , fifteen fighters and a transport ship took off. He watched them head to the stars , making for the nearest jump gate.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm sorry this took so long. I'm a major procrastinator. I am so very sorry bows in apology Thank you for patience. Please review.

Garibaldi sat stoically in the interrogation room as General Tokar paced in front of him. Though the general was speaking , the human wasn't listening. It was just hours after the semi-successful escape attempt. Garibaldi called it semi-successful because even though he had gotten caught , the kids who had been with him were now on their way to Babylon 5. As the alien continued to ramble , the human continued to ignore him. Only when Tokar slammed his hands down on the table between them did Garibaldi finally look at him.

"What do you want from me? I'm not telling you anything," Garibaldi said calmly.

"You just may. You see ,I have just signed your death warrant. You are to be executed in four days , unless you give me the information I need. Take him away!" Tokar snarled with and evil smile.

Garibaldi didn't respond as the guards took him back to his cell.

Ivannova enter Sinclair's , not quite sure how to place the request she'd just received from a small group of ships. She cleared her throat and Sinclair looked up from the reports in front of him.

"Sir , you aren't going to believe this but we've got a message for you from a small group of ships," she said.

"A group?"

"Fifteen fighters and small passenger ship. The captain of the passenger ship seems to be the one in charge. He said that he has a message for. "

"What kind of message?"

"I don't know . He wouldn't tell me. He just said it was important and that he needs to speak to you in person."

Sinclair stood and together he and Ivannova hurried to greet their guests. They arrived just in time to see the oddest group they had ever seen. There were at least thirty young people from several race they had never seen before. One of them , a young man, stepped forward. He had shoulder length red hair and bright gold eyes. A silver horn protruded from his forehead. He carried a bag which he set down on the floor.

"Are you Commander Sinclair?" He asked.

"Yes I am. And you are?" Sinclair answered.

"I am T'Challa, " he said.

"Commander Ivannova said that you have a message for me."

"Yes ,sir. Firstly , I would like you to know that I am a political prisoner in my part of the galaxy , as are the people you see behind me. We come seeking sanctuary," T'Challa said, nervousness creeping into his voice.

Sinclair was startled for a moment. This young man was asking him for asylum ; not only for himself but for thirty others as well. He looked at the drawn faces of thirty young people.

"Granted. Is there anything else?" Sinclair asked, as the young people began to whisper in excited voices.

T'Challa took a deep breath. He reached into and pulled out the ripped and torn uniform of an Earth Force security officer.

"There was a human who helped us escape. We never learned his name. It was his idea to take the fighters and transport and come here. He told me not to go back form him if he was captured so I did not. He told me to give this to you if he was captured. He said that you would understand," T'Challa answered.

Sinclair took the uniform He understood exactly what this uniform meant : Garibaldi was alive. He turned to Ivannova.

"Commander, I want you to find this kids rooms and fresh clothes. Afterwards I would like you to bring T'Challa to my office," he said.

Ivannova nodded the affirmative, told the kids to follow her and lead them off. Normally ,something like this would annoy her a bit ,but not today. She too had understood what the uniform meant.

Garibaldi had set his plan in motion as soon as night had fallen. Two days had past and he'd spent the entire time planning. He picked the cell's lock and slipped out. He slipped down the hall as quietly as possible. He remembered the way to the landing port. He slipped past a sentry ,knocked out three guards and made it to the launch pad. He climbed into his fighter. He fired up the engines and took off before anyone had a chance to respond.

Before he could be stopped , Garibaldi and his fighter had left the atmosphere. Making a beeline fore the jump gate , he began to put in the coordinates for Babylon 5. Suddenly , weapon's fire exploded around him. Seven enemy fighters had caught up to him. Cursing under his breathe , Garibaldi realized his weapon's system was partly shot. He had a few torpedoes but that was all. Then he got an idea. It was a risk but it was one he had to take . He pushed his fighter as fast as it could go , then he launched all but four torpedoes. The jump gate flared to life and Garibaldi shot through it. The jump gate closed just as the torpedoes hit, obliterating the gate.


	5. Chapter 5

_Reporter's voice on TV while video plays:" Today ,joy spreads around the galaxy. Babylon 5's Chief of Security Michael Garibaldi returned to the station today after going missing six months ago…"_

Garibaldi sat at his desk ,reading reports and getting himself up to speed. He'd been really out of the loop. He hadn't taken his position back yet; he wasn't quite ready yet. Some of his memory had returned. He remembered finding the ship that had sent the signal ,then a blank. He'd been glad to meet the young people who he'd helped escape. He was happy they'd made it. He had also become good friends from T'Challa.

A beep signaled that someone was at his door.

"Enter," he said.

A older woman entered. She had salt and pepper hair , pulled into a tight bun. She was dressed in a long ,flowing black dress. She smiled gently.

"I believe that I owe you an apology ,Mr. Garibaldi. I have caused you great harm. It was not my intention," she said solemnly.

Garibaldi was startled for a moment. He recognized her voice as that of the pilot he'd help. However , he had no ideas to what she meant.

"I'm sorry?" he said, confused.

The woman smiled sadly.

"May I sit?" she asked.

"Oh, of course," He said.

She sat down and took a deep breathe.

"My name Halana. This is hard to explain ,but my people , the Makaria, have dedicated ourselves to protecting an ancient race of beings called Drani. The Drani are a slug-like race who use their psychic powers to keep the universe in key. They can create and even change a person's destiny. They can even make themselves invisible, but they are visible normally. When invisible , only those with Makarian blood can see them, because of the telepathy that our people have.Tokar, the one who captured you, is a Yonai, as is you're young friend T'Challa. Tokar wants to capture a Drani so that he may change his destiny," she explained.

It took a few moments from everything to sink in. Slug-like creatures? Garibaldi massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Why does Tokar want to change his destiny and why are you telling me this?" Garibaldi asked ,after sometime had past.

"Tokar wants to be in power. At the moment the Yonai are led by Queen Annalina ,who is only fourteen. Tokar wants to control her and he can't. I tell you this because I believe that you saw the Drani the day you helped me. I do not know how or why but perhaps it is your destiny to help me….and them," Halana said.

"Them? You mean the Drani? Why?" Garibaldi asked, his head throbbing.

"The Drani do not have a planet to call their own yet. My people have found a suitable one for them. I was tasked with leading the Drani to their new home, however my ship was damaged by Tokar. He'd found out about what we were doing . Then you and the others found us, and we came here. The reason we haven't left is because my ship was damaged worse then I thought. You are the only human I have met that can see the Drani while they are invisible . And you survived when Tokar's ship used it's flash cannon. No one has ever done that before," the Makaria rose form her chair as she spoke," I will leave you now, so you may think everything over."

Before he could say anything , the Makaria left in a swirl of black fabric.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days had past since Halana had spoken to him. He had seen the Drani moving about the ship. Though they were invisible to everyone ,save him and Halana, the slug-like creatures were becoming clearer in form to Garibaldi. They came in a variety of colors and all had the same teardrop shaped ears. He'd figured that the Drani younglings ,depending on how old they were, were between the height of a nine-year-old and an sixteen year old. The adults were the height of a human adult.

The things that Halana had told him were unsettling. Garibaldi wasn't necessarily one to believe in destiny or coincidence , but this was too odd. There were whispers floating around Babylon 5 that the station was haunted. Garibaldi was trying to convince people that it was their imagination. Despite the fact he wasn't sure if what Halana was telling him was true or not , the Human wasn't sure he wanted the Drani to be found out. They deserved to have their own home. Meanwhile , as her security chief was just getting ready to return to duty , Babylon 5 was preparing for battle.

Based on the info received from T'Challa and the others, as well as from Garibaldi himself and from Halana, the new Federation was preparing. Halana hadn't told them everything , but she'd said enough. As this was happening, President Sheridan was planning on speaking to the homeworlds of the refugees who had sought asylum at Babylon 5 . His think was that perhaps they would join the Federation. There was a beep at the door .

"Enter!" Garibaldi said.

Zack Allen ,Garibaldi's second-in-command, enter and cleared his throat. Garibaldi turned to him ,smiled and turned back to the mirror.

"Hi ,Zack. How's it going?" he asked.

"Pretty good Chief. Everybody and everything's ready. Just waiting on you," Zack said.

Garibaldi smiled. After he got caught, Zack had taken over as Chief of Security and had done a pretty good job. But the last six months had been extremely stressful on the younger man. Things had been kind of hectic and it showed on Zack's face. He looked worn down.

"You know what Zack," Garibaldi said, approaching the younger man after he was finished adjusting his uniform," I think you should take a vacation once I'm settled again. Just listen. You look miserable. You could use a good vacation. For all your hard work."

Zack smiled wearily.

"Thank you ,sir," Zack said.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to your room and sleep ? You look ready to pass out," Garibaldi said, when he saw the dark circles under Zack's eyes.

Zack paused for a moment.

"Well….Could I tell you something ,sir? Privately and off the record?"

"Of course."

"You know how have there've been rumors that have been floating around about the station being haunted," Zack said in a low voice, as though he was worried about being overheard.

Garibaldi nodded.

"Well, the other day I…..I….well I saw something. Not sure what I saw but I saw something. I know I saw something," Zack said.

Momentarily startled , Garibaldi raised an eyebrow.

"What was it that you saw?"

"Like I said ,I'm not quite sure but it was my height and looked kinda like a slug. I couldn't see it too well because it was a bit blurry ,like it was invisible."

"Are you sure you didn't imagine it because of how tired you are?"

" I couldn't have imagined it 'cause it went right past me and bumped into me a bit."

"Did you tell anyone else?"

Zack shook his head.

"I was too worried they'd think I was losing it, or it was the stress. Sir, do you think I'm going crazy?" the young man asked.

There was an intense fear in the younger man's eyes as he waited for an answer from a man he respected greatly.

"No, Zack, I don't think you're losing your mind. Maybe you imagined it because you're exhausted and you've been under a lot of stress. I'm excusing you from the welcome back party so you can rest. Now, go rest. That's an order , understood?" the man said.

Zack nodded and left. Garibaldi sighed. Garibaldi thought about it a bit. He was going to need to talk to Halana again. He didn't let Zack see how much more worried he'd become. This couldn't be good. Zack had seen at least one Drani. The Chief of Security really needed to talk to the Makaria.

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Garibaldi retuned to his quarters after the party exhausted. He change and got ready for bed when a beep came at the door. He had a feeling he knew who it was.

"Enter."

He saw he was right as Halana entered the room. She smiled slightly.

"I got the feeling you wanted to see me," she said.

"Yeah. Yeah I did. I wasn't sure I believed you till today," Garibaldi said , gesturing for her to sit on the couch.

"What made you believe?" Halana asked as she sat.

"Have you met Zack Allen?" he asked ,sitting as well.

"No. But I understand that he is your second-in-command," she responded.

"Yeah ,he is," he said.

"What's wrong?" Halana pressed.

"He saw one of the Drani. Not only did he see it but it actually brushed passed him," Garibaldi sighed.

"He is as unique as you are it seems. Where is he now?"

"In his quarters. Resting, I hope. He's worn beyond belief," Garibaldi said ,raising from where he was seat and walking around the room.

"You seem to be exhausted as well. Perhaps , we could speak tomorrow. I would like for you to bring young Mr. Allen with you as well. He will need to know these things as well," Halana said, raising as well.

She bowed to Garibaldi and left. The Human watched her go. Garibaldi thought about the look on Zack's face when the young man had asked him if he was going crazy. He couldn't get the look of fear in his eyes out of his mind. Zack was one of the bravest people the chief knew.


	7. Chapter 7

Review please. I thrive on reviews!!! This story is getting fun , especially seeing as how this came to me in a dream. Oh, I'm planning to put another couple in this and yes I will be getting to the romance part. Just bare with me please.

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Talia knew it was late, but she really wanted to talk Garibaldi. She'd been unable to attend the party. She walked the halls like a woman on a mission , which she was. The few people still in the halls got out of her way . The blonde stopped at the door to the room she wanted. She rang the doorbell and received a rather annoyed command to enter. She entered to see Garibaldi collecting a small pile of flimsies. 

"I didn't wake you did I ?" she asked.

"Not at all ,Talia. I'm too exhausted to sleep," he smiled, putting the flimsies on his desk. 

"I've been meaning to talk to you since you got back ,but we've both been busy," Talia said, sitting on the couch .

"Don't I know it."

Since Talia had come back to them ,things had been a bit smoother. With help from President Sheridan and Delenn , Talia, Lyta and the other telepaths had received their own homeworld. Lyta and Talia were acting as their ambassadors . 

"Well," Garibaldi said after pouring them both a cup of coffee and sitting down on the couch next to her," It seems you and I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yes ,we do," Talia said , smiling as she took the cup he handed her.

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The next morning came as it always did on Babylon 5. Garibaldi walked towards the Zocolo . Halana had sent a message saying that she had accosted Zack earlier and had explained things to him. Then she had banished him to his quarters for more rest. The Makaria was waiting for him when he arrived. She was seated at a table , two cups in front of her. He sat down across from her and took one of the cups.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. If the Drani need help ,I'm going to help them. Everyone deserves a home," he said.

"Alright. As I told you before , my people are dedicated to protecting the Drani from those who would use their abilities for their own gain. The Yonai are normally a peaceful people. But ,as you well know, even in the most peaceful of people contain those who are not peaceful. Tokar believes the that the Yonai could rule the galaxy if not for the peaceful queen. Even though he is not completely in control of her, the general _is_ manipulating her to some extent. My people believe that the Drani should be able to use their powers as they want , not how others want. The Makaria have the ability to see through disguises. Only telepaths and Makaria can see the Drani when they are invisible. However, you can see them and you are not a telepath or a Makaria. The same is true of young Mr. Allen," Halana said, solemnly. 

"So how can I help?" the human asked. 

"The Drani need someone to guide them to their new home, where some of my people wait. My ship still needs repairs, so I cannot go," Halana answered.

"So you want me to do it? And Tokar is preparing to attack us to get to the Drani?"

The Makaria nodded yes to both questions. Garibaldi let everything run through his head. This was a lot to process. 

"What do I tell Commander Sinclair?" 

"I don't know. He may believe you , he may not."

"Where is this planet?"

Halana smiled.

"I will upload the coordinates into your star fury ."

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Lyta stood in front of the door to Zack's quarters, for once unsure. Though she had since learned the truth about Byron, the redhead was nervous to face Zack. He'd tried to warn her , but the telepath was so enamored that she ignored the advice of someone who really loved her. The woman took a deep breathe and rang. She hurried a groggy ," Come on in," and entered.

She'd never been in Zack's quarters before. She doubted many people had. It was simple and very Zen. Zack walked out of his bedroom ,dressed only in pants.

"Lyta ,what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I-I wanted to apologize for what happened before. I should have given you a chance-" 

The security officer cut her off with a hug.

"It's okay. I understand. When you love somebody, sometimes you miss things about them that you wouldn't notice otherwise," he said. 

Zack gestured to the couch. 

"You have a nice place Zack. You practice Zen?" Lyta asked , as she sat. 

"Yeah. After the Chief saved me , I was still a little lost. Zen filled the void that was still there. Would you like coffee?" he responded. 

"Sure."

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Though not technically on duty, Garibaldi still helped settle a few disputes, including one between G'Kar and Londo . _Some things never change, he thought, as he stood between them. Delann rolled her eyes as she approached them. Though she knew Garibaldi had it under control, the hybrid wasn't about to not help._

_After settling the dispute , they sent the two ambassadors on their way._

"_Ambassador, could you wait a minute?" Garibaldi asked, as Delann went to leave._

"_Of course, Mr. Garibaldi. What do need?"_

"_Some advice."_


	8. Chapter 8

Firstly, I want to apologize for the lateness . Life has been getting in the way. Secondly , thank you to my readers . Thirdly, for those of who are curious, the Draini look like Shellos from Pokemon except they have more then two colors and different ears. That is the only way I can describe them properly.

The usual disclaimer applies : I own nothing except the Ocs and the Plot.

General Tolar was not in a good mood. He was in a foul mood. A very ,very foul mood ; he was enraged in fact. So foul was his mood that his men scampered to get out of his way .His plans had begun to unravel. However, the general was nothing if not inventive. He could improvise. He would rule his empire better then that annoying little brat. He would conquer the whole galaxy. He was not going to let a few little missteps prevent him from achieving his destiny.

"Wait, wait ,wait. Let me get this straight, " Jeff Sinclair , said as Garibaldi packed," You're telling me that this woman and her people are protectors of a slug-like people that can change peoples destinies and can turn invisible and that ,despite that only certain people can see them when they're invisible, like the woman and her people and telepaths, you can see them. And the one who captured you is after them so he can take control of the galaxy. And that because her ship is to damaged , the woman can't take the slugs to their new home where they'll be safe ,you're doing it."

"That's about it," came the curt reply.

"Damnit, Michael ,do you realize how crazy this sounds?" Sinclair demanded.

"I thought I was crazy too, until I talked to Zack and he can see them. So can Talia and Delann. I'm not about to let the Drani get killed because of this asshole ," Garibaldi responded, massaging the bridge of his nose.

This was the second time in about six hours they'd had this argument. President Sheridan had tried talking him out of , Ivonnova had tried to talk him out of it, even Londo and G'Kar tried to talk him out of it. It wasn't going to work. He had to do this. His bag full , Garibaldi was ready to move. Helena had informed him that the Drani were ready to go about twenty minutes ago.

"Listen ,Michael -"

"Do not give me the "post-traumatic- stress" thing, Jeff. I know what I'm doing," Garibaldi snapped.

Without another word, Garibaldi walked out of his quarters, and down to the hanger. Maybe for the last time.

The hanger was quiet as he walked towards his fighter. Garibaldi realized that this might be the last time he ever saw his home. As he approached his fighter, he saw Talia and T'Challa waiting for him. He hugged Talia and shook the young alien's hand. T'Challa had decided to join Security.

"Listen ,kid. I want you to listen to Zack , okay? He knows what he's doing," Garibaldi ordered.

T'Challa nodded, unable to trust his voice. Garibaldi climbed into his fighter and started it up. He knew he was really just going through the motions. He knew this all by heart. The fighter rose and left the dock. Looking to either side, he could see the shimmering forms of the Drani. It was time to go. He punched in the coordinates and the jump gate flared to life.

Many watched as the fighter vanished into the jump gate. Those who knew the why of the situation and those who did not. Those who did not know where wondering ,"Why? Why is this fighter leaving before a battle?" Even some of those who knew were wondering why they were letting the pilot do something the could possible be suicidal foolishness. However, they knew the why and knew it needed to be done, even if they had tried to talk him out of it.

Even the pilot was wondering why , though he knew better then anyone the why. Garibaldi knew that he wouldn't be able to say long with the Drani. Not as long as he would have like under other circumstances ; Babylon 5 would need him when the battle started. _What the hell am I doing? _,he thought. He'd promised Helena he'd get the Drani to their new home safely , no matter what. He'd learned so much about these gentle creatures in the few weeks they'd been on the station.

They communicated telepathically because their vocal cords couldn't make strong enough to use any spoken language save their own. They could turn invisible and when invisible only telepaths , Makaria , and people who had been close to death's door but not meant to pass through. _Like me, he thought. Garibaldi shook himself and tried to focus on his mission. It would be several hours before they would reach the Drani's new home._

_The armada finally complete , General Tolar knew it was time. He would have to be careful. Her majesty didn't know about this and hopefully , she would not find out until after Babylon 5 was taken. He would return victorious and say that it was the queen's idea to launch , this "pre-emptive " strike, raising both her status as a wise queen and his as a great general. Then he would have one of his most loyal operatives force the queen to write a will that state should she die childless , the throne was to pass to Tolar. The operative would then "accident" the queen to death, Tolar would take the crown and no one would ask questions._

_He smiled as the ships jumped into hyperspace. His plan was perfect. But like most plans of this nature there would always be a snag. Tolar didn't know that the escapees from his prison had reach Babylon 5 and that the station was up in arms. The snag was prepared. _


End file.
